Zendaya Opens Up to Janet Mock About Breaking Racial Barriers in Hollywood in 'Marie Claire' Cover Story

Zendaya opened up to Janet Mock for an enlightening interview in Marie Claire's September issue, released online Monday (Aug. 6). The former Disney star got candid about her role as one too few high-prile black actresses in Hollywood, and how she refuses to let casting boundaries hold her back.

"What my white peers would be able to get away with at this point in their career is not something that I will be able to do," the Spider-Man: Homecoming star told Mock.

Having grown up under the spotlight since being cast in Shake It Up at age 14, it comes as a surprise to some that Zendaya, now 21, has managed to avoid the rebellious post-Disney phase. Although she feels a duty to be a role model for the young women who look up to her, she realizes, "I can’t allow myself to be scared not always doing the right thing. I will make mistakes in my career, but I can try my best to make the best decisions that I can and learn from my mistakes."

The Oakland-born singer revealed that she wants to make change in the industry by pursuing roles that weren't written for black actors. "For example, Spider-Man definitely wasn’t originally written that way." She recalled hoping the casting directors would -- as they say in the industry -- "go ethnic."

"I remember making the decision to straighten my hair. I didn’t know that they were going to be more diverse in their casting."